Research

My current work falls within the areas and intersections of normative ethics, applied ethics, philosophy of psychiatry, philosophy of neuroscience, philosophy of mind, philosophy of science, metaphysics, and feminist theory. Specifically, I investigate the moral dimensions of how we treat ourselves (Do we have a duty to foster self-respect? What is the moral harm of self-objectification?) and incorporate the results into ethical analyses of psychopharmaceuticals - especially antidepressants (When, if ever, is antidepressant use morally suspect? Is it morally problematic to cosmetically enhance our emotions and personalities with a pill?). To assist such analyses, I draw from research within metaphysics concerning the nature of the self. As a separate project, I examine the ethical implications that neuroscientific research has for feminism (Is neuroscientific research into brain differences between genders feminist or anti-feminist?) Finally, I maintain an interest in how we can use philosophical insights to conceptually combat the stigmatization of persons with mental disorders.